Language / Top 10 Reasons to Visit Poland - text on a shirt [9]

You are right indeed - they are female names. I suppose that this T-Shirt would make a suitable gift, but mostly for a male person or a lesbian. :)

Language / Top 10 Reasons to Visit Poland - text on a shirt [9]

Who gave you the T-Shirt, Samatha, if I may ask? :)

Language / Confused about the Polish Imperative [15]

This isn't that difficult, after all. All you need to memorize, assuming you know the present tense forms of a verb, is the singular imperative form for the second person (you). The way you build the imperative is as follows:

to speak - mówić

Singular

1. Niech mówię!
2. Mów!
3. Niech mówi

Plural:

1. Mówmy
2. Mówcie
3. Niech mówią

Now:

To create singular 1st and 3rd person form you just put in the word niech (let; may) and then the present tense form. Like below:

He speaks - (on) mówi
Let him speak! - niech (on) mówi!

Then, plural forms:

1. Mówmy = Mów (imperative form for the 2nd person singular) + my
2. Mówcie = Mów (imperative form for the 2nd person singular) + cie
3. Niech mówią - again, you put in the word niech + present tense form for they (oni)

There are no exceptions from this. To get the 1st and 2nd plural imperative form you always add the ending -my or -cie accordingly to the imperative form of the 2nd singular person (mów in this case).

Now, as usual, there is one situation where it's different. For the verb być - to be you do not use the present tense after niech, but the future tense. Look at the examlpe below:

Singuler

1. Niech będę! (niech + I will be)
2. Bądź!
3. Niech będzie! (niech + he/she/it will be)

Plural

1. Bądźmy!
2. Bądźcie!
3. Niech będą! (niech + they will be)

There is slightly more to it, but in 99% of cases you are going to get it right. I hope this helps.

Cheers.

Language / Confused about the Polish Imperative [15]


Slight correction: Since let in English is actually a verb, this should be:

May he speak! - niech (on) mówi!

PS. Thanks axid for pointing that out to me. :)

Language / "Leje jak z cebra" [11]

Just a general remark: the word ceber is rather obsolete, you won't hear it in everyday's speech. More often you may stumble across it in crosswords.

It only survived in this "leje jak z cebra" expression. Some Poles don't even remember what a ceber was. I suspect, however, that it may still be heard in some rural areas.

Language / "Leje jak z cebra" [11]

As I said - rural areas. :D

Life / Poles in Poland: How did you learn your English? [60]


I did it exactly the same way! Played good, old text/graphic adventure games from Infocom, Lucasarts etc. Great way to learn; maybe you should downl.. err.. I mean buy some Polish games and play them, if you like playing games of course. :)

Life / Poles in Poland: How did you learn your English? [60]

Moonilighting

You are right there. I myself had been learning Hebrew on my own for a few years, with the help of a few friends from Israel. Due to the fact that this was all done in writing, my speaking ability is much worse than my writing skills. I can understand songs and movies (with subtitles) pretty well, but still every-day talk is hard to decipher.

I think it is essential to have a native-speaker at hand (especially if someone is learning on their own).

Language / Example sentences for different cases. [42]


"Muszę pomóc (tej) kobiecie" would sound much better.